Enquiries and expressions of interest, please email the Chair of Trustees (Ian Thompson, LinkedIn): trustee@if-oxford.com

Festival Director (CEO): dane@if-oxford.com

IF Oxford is the science and ideas Festival in Oxford and its region — one of the UK’s oldest science festivals, running continuously since 1992. Produced by Oxfordshire Science Festival (charity no. 1151361), it is an independent charity with no institutional parent and no endowment.

IF Oxford is built on the belief that science and ideas belong to everyone. The programme connects topics, disciplines and communities — from cutting-edge research to everyday experience — and actively seeks the widest possible range of voices, perspectives and curiosity.

Each October, 80–150 events and activities take place across 25–45 venues in Oxfordshire, engaging tens of thousands of people. In 2025, the Festival engaged 33,000 people through 85 events, with 630 contributors and audience satisfaction consistently above 95%. Around a quarter of visitors are aged 8–14 (Key Stages 2–3). One in five have never attended a science event before.

See Past IF Oxford Programmes and its Output and Impact Reports here: if-oxford.com/past-festivals/

IF Oxford is an integral part of the UK Science Festival Network and is a member of the Oxford Cultural Anti-racism Alliance, alongside 25+ cultural organisations across the city.

Why we are recruiting

We are seeking up to three new trustees, with the expectation that one will develop into a future chair. Our current chair, Ian Thompson, will step back from the chair at the 2026 AGM — while remaining on the board as a trustee. We are building the board deliberately for the next chapter.

Meet the team: if-oxford.com/meet-the-team

New trustees also offer an opportunity to strengthen the board’s connections across the wider Festival ecosystem — bringing relationships, networks and perspectives that deepen IF Oxford’s reach and impact.

About the role

Trustees carry the standard legal duties of charity governance — acting in the charity’s best interests, protecting its assets, ensuring compliance, contributing to financial stewardship.

Full details are at if-oxford.com/trustee-policy and on the Charity Commission website gov.uk/become-charity-trustee.

In practice, trusteeship at IF Oxford means more than governance. It means bringing your networks, experience and enthusiasm to bear on a festival that genuinely matters to its community. Trustees act as ambassadors, advisers and advocates — supporting the Festival Director (CEO) in building relationships, securing income and strengthening the Festival’s position across the region. The Festival Director currently operates without a permanent management team, making the board’s active support and strategic partnership particularly valuable.

The board currently comprises seven trustees and the Festival Director (CEO), working with a wider network of freelancers, volunteers and partners. Culture is collaborative and collegial.

Key responsibilities

Governance and compliance

Attend and contribute to board meetings; ensure the charity operates within its governing document and charity law; support appropriate skills, diversity and succession planning.

Strategic leadership

Support and constructively challenge the Festival Director (CEO) on strategy, finances and operational priorities. Ensure decisions are implemented effectively.

Ambassador and advocate

Represent IF Oxford with key stakeholders. Use your network to support relationship-building and funding. Strong connections in STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine), SHAPE (social sciences, humanities and the arts), NGO (non-governmental organisations), educational, research or cultural communities in Oxfordshire are particularly valuable.

Support to the Festival Director (CEO)

Provide regular contact between meetings; act as a sounding board on strategic, operational and staffing matters; assist with financial planning and HR matters as they arise.

Board administration

Prepare for and attend board meetings. Contribute to the annual Trustees’ Report.

Essential

• Commitment to IF Oxford’s mission — public engagement with science and ideas, for everyone
• Senior leadership experience, at board level or equivalent
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Understanding of charity governance and fiduciary responsibility
• A background in one or more of: STEM, arts and culture, education, business, public policy, community engagement or the Oxford and Oxfordshire innovation ecosystem. STEM expertise is welcome; so is deep knowledge of arts and culture, and sensitivity to political, social and cultural issues.

Desirable

• Charity or public sector experience
• Knowledge of finance, fundraising, legal frameworks or business development
• Experience of marketing, public relations or public engagement
• A strong personal network in Oxfordshire’s STEM, SHAPE, NGO, educational, research or cultural communities
• Experience working across disciplines or communities

The right values

We are looking for people who believe that curiosity is a public good; that science and ideas belong to everyone; and that a great festival is built on trust, openness and the honest pursuit of knowledge. You do not need to be a scientist or engineer. You do need to care.

Time commitment and remuneration

Trustees typically attend four to eight board meetings per year — held online and in person — with preparation time for each. A presence at Festival events in October is warmly welcomed. Regular contact with the Festival Director (CEO) takes place between meetings.

Total estimated commitment: Approximately 8 days per year

Remuneration: Voluntary and unpaid. Reasonable out-of-pocket expenses can be reimbursed.

What IF Oxford offers you

A meaningful role at the heart of one of Oxfordshire’s most distinctive and genuinely independent cultural institutions. A skilled, committed and collegial board. A real opportunity to shape the future of science and ideas engagement across the region.

You will join a charity that has delivered 34+ years of public engagement; that reaches deep into communities across Oxfordshire; and that is beholden to no institution, no funder and no single agenda.

If you feel this may be of interest to friends, family or colleagues, please share these recruitment materials.

You can learn more about the Festival, by visiting www.if-oxford.com/about to see programmes and reports for past Festivals, information on the team and what we do, our background and who we work with. There is contact information for phone and email enquiries (we do not recommend postal enquiries at the present time.)

The 2026 IF Oxford programme launches on

Thursday 27 August 2026.

IF Oxford events take place

16 October-1 November 2026.

We would like new Trustees to see the annual Festival in operation.

IF Oxford is run by the charity “IF Oxford Ltd.”, which is committed to treating all its employees, freelance applicants, contract-partners, volunteers and public audiences equally and fairly. It is a positive working environment, where sexual orientation or status, disability, ethnicity, religion or beliefs, or socioeconomic status are embraced within legal guidelines. We note that only applicants who have a legal right to work within the UK will be considered and you will be asked to bring along proof of nationality and/or proof of ability to work in the UK. You will also be asked to declare any previous convictions in line with your rights under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) order 1975.

This is a description of the deliverable of the contract as it is presently constituted. It is our practice to examine these descriptions from time to time and to update them to ensure they relate to the activities performed, or to incorporate whatever changes are reasonably required, in discussion with the postholder.

As part of the recruitment process your data will be collected and processed in accordance with the Data Management Policy and we do not use automation in the selection of candidates; www.if-oxford.com/about/policies/data-management-policy

All disabled applicants who meet the ‘essential criteria’ for this vacancy will be offered an interview under the Disability Confident (Committed) scheme’s definition of disability, which is in line with the Equalities Act 2010: “a physical or mental condition which has a long-term and substantial effect on your daily life”. Further information about the Disability Confident commitments can be found on: www.gov.uk/disability-confident